# Inconsistency btw EMPSTAT and CLASSWKR

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/inconsistency-btw-empstat-and-classwkr/5530>\
**Category:** USA\
**Created:** [November 17, 2023, 10:35am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/inconsistency-btw-empstat-and-classwkr/5530 "2023-11-17T10:35:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hellokitty678](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/hellokitty678/32/415_2.png) [@hellokitty678](https://forum.ipums.org/u/hellokitty678)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2023, 10:35am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/inconsistency-btw-empstat-and-classwkr/5530/1 "2023-11-17T10:35:43Z")

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I am using 1980 5% sample (sample limited to people aged 16-64). I cross-tabulate [EMPSTAT](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/EMPSTAT#description_section) and [CLASSWKR](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/CLASSWKR#comparability_section) and found that 87% individuals who reported to be unemployed in [EMPSTAT](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/EMPSTAT#description_section) are classified as “works for wages and salaries” in [CLASSWKR](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/CLASSWKR#comparability_section); Similarly, 2% and 43% who are not in labor force in EMPSTAT are classified (in CLASSWKR) as being self-employed and works for wages. Shouldn’t people who are not in labor force be classified as N/A in CLASSWKR? Thank you!

```auto
. tab empstat classwkr ,m nofreq row

                   | class of worker [general
 employment status | version]
 [general version] | n/a self-empl works for | Total
-------------------+---------------------------------+----------
          employed | 0.00 8.41 91.59 | 100.00 
        unemployed | 9.85 3.18 86.98 | 100.00 
not in labor force | 55.00 2.18 42.82 | 100.00 
-------------------+---------------------------------+----------
             Total | 16.44 6.36 77.20 | 100.00 

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Isabel\_Pastoor](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/isabel_pastoor/32/788_2.png) [@Isabel\_Pastoor](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Isabel_Pastoor)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/inconsistency-btw-empstat-and-classwkr/5530/2 "2023-11-22T18:56:04Z")

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The universe of [CLASSWKR](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/CLASSWKR#description_section) in the 1980 Census is persons age 16+ who had worked within the past 5 years. So, respondents not working (unemployed or not in labor force) according to [EMPSTAT](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/EMPSTAT#description_section), which references the present time period, still have a response for CLASSWKR if they worked in the past 5 years.